A Slice of Life: The Puzzle
by wolverine6claws
Summary: Ororo spends a relaxing afternoon with Logan.


Title: A Slice of Life: The Puzzle

Author: Wolverine6Claws (W6C)

Pairing: Ororo/Logan

Rating: PG

Summary: Ororo spends a relaxing afternoon with Logan.

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men nor do I make any money for this story. It is purely for fun and fan entertainment. Not for profit.

"That will not work there," Ro stated simply after glimpsing at Logan's choice.

"Whatdya mean? Sure it will," Logan drawled in reply as he focused on the piece he held in his fingers.

"It will not fit there."

"It's an end piece," he stated as if that made all the difference.

"It is, yes, but it is not the correct end piece," Ororo informed him without looking up as she scanned the myriad of jigsawed bits strewn out in front of them on the table.

"You don't know that," he said, frowning at the tiny piece.

"I do."

"It's an edge piece. See?" he said, pushing the strangely shaped fragment toward her face balanced on the pad of his index finger. Ororo's eyes rose smoothly to look at the grey and white puzzle piece on his finger and then her gaze simply returned to what she was doing.

"I do see, however, it still does not go there."

The two X-Men certainly had different styles and strategies toward just about every challenge they faced. She enjoyed sitting quietly beside him, slowly scanning the 3,000 pieces with sharp eyes, to find the appropriate pieces that would complete a small segment of the larger whole. Logan, on the other hand, would find a piece that went with another piece and snapped them together as he found them, leaving dozens of bits consisting of two or three pieces all over the tabletop.

Ororo would simply smile softly as she finished her larger segment and set it aside to scan the scattered bits her husband left lying across the table forgotten as his attention would quickly refocus to seek out his next prey. Often she'd find that he'd actually found an entire segment of the puzzle and had put it together on the table without connecting all the smaller three-piece bits to make the larger segment whole, so she'd simply reach out with elegant fingers and drag the unfinished pieces toward her in order to snap them all together. Once in a while she'd realize that the total segment she just put together from Logan's bits actually contained some of the pieces she'd been searching out to add to her larger one.

Logan would simply lift his elbow when he detected her slender hands snaking underneath his arm to collect his pieces. As she gathered his littered bits, her fingers creeping into his view, he'd scowl a little as her movements would distract him from zeroing in on that elusive prey piece he'd just spent ten minutes trying to sniff out.

He let out a sigh as her hand snaked out from under his arm a third time to snatch the piece lying in front of him. Ororo smirked as she snapped that bit to the larger segment she had created out of his littered bits. He was still scanning the edged frame of the puzzle that he'd been able to put together thus far. He had the full top and right side edges completed and a third of the left side as Ro built her center image that would eventually fit into his framework.

She reached out to pull a few solo pieces toward her from the staging area where the balance of unused pieces lay waiting. She picked one up and grinned at it, placing it on her finger she steered it toward Logan. "I believe this is an edge piece," she said.

Logan let his eyes slide sideways, yep it was one of his. His jaw thrust to the side when he realized that was probably the stupid piece he'd been searching for.

Ororo smiled, bemused, as her husband tried to be discreet in reaching up to cover her finger with his and deftly retrieve the betraying puzzle piece that had sought shelter on her side of the table. She could hear his teeth grinding together as he tried so hard to remain patient with it. She pretended she didn't notice and simply continued to scan, retrieve, and press the pieces together.

They worked in companionable silence for a while when Ororo noted a huff from the man beside her. She looked over to see him trying to press a piece into the now widening frame of the jigsaw. A soft growl and she glanced at his face. She looked back down at the puzzle to see him switch from index finger to using his thumb to try to force the stubborn piece into place.

"That does not go there, Logan," she offered patiently.

"It will when I get done with it!" he snarled.

"This activity is supposed to be restful... relaxing," she informed him.

"For whom?" he growled.

"Here," she said, reaching over his arm to pry the piece out from under his angry thumb. She looked at it and spun it a quarter turn before pushing it easily into the spot Logan had tried to force it. As she went back to her own task, Logan stretched his neck to look at it then looked at her sideways through narrowed eyes. Ororo ignored him.

A few moments passed when Ororo started as Logan's fist pounded the table. The puzzle pieces jumped into the air in front of them as he slammed his fist onto the unfinished puzzle. "This is stupid! These pieces don't fit this puzzle!" he said loudly.

"They _do_ fit the puzzle," Ororo replied softly, recovering her calm after being startled. "You need patience. And you need to be calm in order to find the right piece for the proper placement."

Logan pried the rebellious piece out of the spot he'd tried to force it into and threw it across the room with a move reminiscent of tossing cards into a hat. Ororo's eyebrows arched high as she looked up to see the piece disappear behind a chair. Her eyes shifted to him and Logan turned to her with a big smile.

"There!" he exclaimed. "Took care o' that problem."

Ororo got up and crossed the room to retrieve the puzzle bit and brought it back to the table. "Please do not throw the pieces across the room."

"Can I have it back?" he asked.

"No, you may not have it back," she answered trying to remain patient.

Logan just looked at her as she continued to work on her part of the puzzle. He didn't say anything as he watched her. He reached across to try to snatch the piece up but Ororo simply placed her hand over it as if guarding it. Logan's hand hovered over hers and he looked at her, but Ororo refused to look up from her task.

He withdrew his hand.

He looked down at the puzzle and around at all the pieces. When Ororo moved her hand he tried to snatch the piece again but she calmly beat him to it as her hand covered it again.

He withdrew his hand.

Logan looked around the table and chose a different piece. He put on a deliberate show for her as he tried it here... and here... and there. He tried to force it into a spot with his finger. He turned it a bit and tried to press it in with his thumb. He pulled his hand back and cocked his elbow as he made a fist...

Ororo cleared her throat.

Logan froze and glanced at her. She simply tilted her head slightly without looking up and he lowered his fist. Logan sighed and thought for a moment.

"Is there more coffee?" he asked.

"No."

"Can I have a beer?" he asked.

"If you _insist_ on having one," she replied, still not looking at him, but her tone told him that she'd rather he not have alcohol at this time.

"How about a nice hot cup o' tea?" he asked.

Ororo sat up a bit taller and said, "That does sound good. I will get us some tea." Logan smiled at her. Ororo stood up and looked down at him. "Do not force the piece into that spot while I am gone. Please."

"I won't," he told her. Ororo just stared at him as if not believing him. "I won't force it, I promise," he said, crossing his heart with his fingers. She narrowed her eyes and considered his behavior. Logan put on his most innocent expression and smiled at her. "I promise. I will not force the piece while you're gone."

Finally she conceded and went to the kitchen to make the tea.

Logan watched until she disappeared from view. He sat patiently; waiting, listening. When he heard the sound of water running and cups being retrieved from the cupboard, he reached out to snatch up the piece and slowly extended a single claw.

Upon her return Ororo stopped in the doorway; her eyes widening in dismayed surprise to see Logan in full concentration as he calmly focused on carving the piece into the precise shape that he needed.

Ororo stared at him from afar. What could she say? He'd kept his promise.


End file.
